


To Catch a Butterfly

by the_Runaway075 (orphan_account)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: 16-Year-Old Noctis Lucis Caelum, Disability, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Mental Health Issues, References to Drugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-29 05:31:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17801927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/the_Runaway075
Summary: But Noctis was odd, born odd. There was something off about the boy that no one seemed to understand.





	To Catch a Butterfly

**_“Gladio, I need you to be there ten minutes earlier.”_ **

 Gladio remembers those words, even wrote them down in his notebook before class started. But one lesson led to another, and then it was eight o’clock by the time he left the college. These history lectures are trivially boring but crucial to his training as Shield of the future King.

 If one can even say the crown prince is fit to wear-

 No. There’s been enough damage done in one day alone than for him to have to regret his nasty thoughts the whole night long. It’s not that Gladiolus didn’t like the boy -- they were good, old friends. But Noctis was odd, born odd. There was something off about the boy that no one seemed to understand.

 The king had explained that it happened at birth. Doctors even mapped out a chart showcasing the boy’s condition: he had a lower mental capacity than a regular human brain -- whatever the hell that meant, Gladio figured. Noctis was as sweet of a boy you’d ever meet in spite of his mental disability.

 At 16 years old, even as his was body trapped in the cycle of adolescence, Noctis had the mind and behaviors of a four-year-old toddler. His reasonings and common sense logic were almost non-existent, and he required around-the-clock care and attention so he didn’t get himself into trouble.

 Searching his school bag for his car keys, Gladio fumbles on the sidewalk when his phone goes off. He pulls it out of his pocket. It’s a message from Ignis.

  **Ignis** •  **8:17** Where are you?

 Gladio snarls and types back, •  **8:17** Headin over. why?

  **Ignis** •  **8:18** It’s late. I told you to be ten minutes early. His Highness needs a bath, and you said you’d be there to put him to bed at 9 o’clock sharp.

 Swiping away the text screen, he decides to call Ignis to set things straight. If he hadn’t been chosen to read from three chapters of his textbook toward the end of class, he’d have been at the prince’s apartment already.

 Finally finding his keys, he jumps in the car and drives off just as Ignis picks up. “Iggy, I would've been early if teach’ didn’t keep me so long, reading chapter after chapter after chapter.”

 An audible sigh. _“Gladio, when you promise to be punctual, you must stay true to your word. I have fed him dinner and now, as you know, he is restless. When will you be here?”_

 A glance at his car’s radio screen. “Two minutes.”

_“Do be quick about it!... No, Noctis, no candy…”_

 Gladio sniggers. Noctis is a handful, but he has his moments when he’s too damn adorable. “He’s at it again, huh?”

 Ignis lightly scolds Noctis before answering. _“I tried hiding his favorite marshmallows, but guess what he has stuffed in his mouth?”_

 Gladio erupts in laughter as he pulls into the parking garage. “Can’t keep the kid from what he loves, Igs.”

_“I just heard your car, so I’ll see you in a few moments.”_

 “Yeah,” Gladio says, stepping out and grabbing his stuff. He locks the vehicle and heads up there, praying he doesn’t have to change Noctis tonight. “See ya.”

 

 ---

 

 Unlocking the door to Noctis’s apartment, Gladio feels uneasy, the constant complaining that forms a headache that he really can’t help. He’d never say it out loud, but sometimes, he wished King Regis would just hire an aide for Noctis instead of depending on he and Ignis to care for him.

 But he did volunteer after all. And it was out of the kindness of his heart -- he felt sorry for the prince.

 He opens the door as Ignis races around, collecting his things. “So, where’s Noct?”

 “In the kitchen,” Ignis sighs, slipping on his jacket. He looks like he could use a break from Noctis for about a week. “I swear, if he doesn’t start eating his vegetables, I’ll have to come up with a substitute…”

 Just then, Noctis comes running out of the kitchen with a mouth full of marshmallows, the snack bag dangling from three fingers. He smiles with an open mouth at Gladio. “Gla-hy!” He jumps up and down. “Gla-hy! Gla-hy!”

 “Whoa there, kiddo, settle down, huh?” Gladio says, ruffling his hair. “You need to slow down on inhaling those marshmallows!”

 Ignis smacks himself in the face. “Well, I shall be leaving now. Please, make sure the water for his bath is not too hot?”

 “Iggy.” Gladio gives him a face. “I know what I’m doing. We’ll be fine, don’t worry.” He shoves him toward the door. “Now, go get some sleep, alright?”

 “Gladio, wait!” Ignis pokes back inside the door. “Don’t forget to give him his medications. I will pick up his refills tomorrow before I arrive in the morning.”

 “Gotcha,” Gladio winks before shutting the door. He whips around to find Noctis about to eat the entire bag of marshmallows. “Whoa, Noct!” He rips the bag from the prince, getting giggles from him as he runs back into the kitchen. “Noct, hang on! You eat too much, you ain’t gonna sleep!”

 Noctis has climbed on top of the counter, reaching for the box of cookies he’s had his eye on since he came home from school. Gladio swoops in and yanks him down, getting hit on the shoulders as Noctis struggles in his arms.

 “Gladdy, no!! Gladdy, I want cookies!”

 “Not tonight, kid,” he says, setting him down and smacking his behind. “You got a bath waitin’ for ya.”

 Noctis stares at him, rocking back and forth. “I don’t like bath. Can we… can we play puzzle? Gladdy? Puzzle.”

 Gladio shakes his head no. “Huh uh. C’mon,” he says, walking him to the bathroom by the hand. Noctis’s hand is sticky from the marshmallows. A bath is definitely a must. “Let’s get you clean, stinky.”

 While they wait for the water to fill the tub, Gladio asks Noctis about his day: school, a visit with his daddy, and dinner with Iggy. Noctis’s eyes sparkle as he talks about his day and all the fun he had -- well, minus the vegetables at dinner. But Gladio listens intently, smiling at the joy that shines through in Noctis’s voice, especially when he talks about his daddy.

 He talks to Noctis as if he were just a regular, normal person with normal inabilities of character. Not many people truly understand how to deal with Noctis’s disability, and it’s for that reason that he doesn’t have a lot of friends. Save for Prompto Argentum, who regularly drops by to play puzzles and board games with the prince after school.

 Gladio has to give the kid kudos for spending time with Noctis and being patient with him.

 Gladio tests the bath water. It’s just warm enough. “So, you ready to wash up, Noct?”

 Noctis sighs and sticks his hand in his pants. “Mm-mm,” he says, sucking on the thumb of his other hand. “I don’t want bath, Gladdy.”

 “But you’ve got to or else I can’t read you a book before bed,” Gladio says, pulling Noctis’s hands away from himself. He glances at the clock -- it’s almost ten-thirty. “You don’t wanna miss special time with Gladdy, do ya?”

 Noctis bends at the waist and pulls his pants down. “Pants first, right, Gladdy?”

 At least something’s working out in that innocent little head of his. Gladio taught him well. “Yup, that’s right, kiddo. I got the water nice and warm for ya… Shirt next.”

 “Shirt next,” Noctis mimics, thinking this all just a fun game. “And Gladdy knows what?”

 Gladio grins, helping him take his diaper off. He breathes a mental sigh of relief that he didn’t poop himself before this. It’s happened plenty. “What’s that, Noct?”

 “I, I got present for daddy all by myself,” he says. "But, Iggy doesn’t like it.”

 “Why doesn’t Iggy like it?”

 “He said it needs batteries,” Noctis says, twirling a piece of his dark hair. “What are batteries, Gladdy?”

 Gladio makes a motion with his hands like a car. “Well, batteries make things work, y’know? They come to life and start moving, kinda like your favorite toy truck.”

 “And daddy’s birthday is, um…”

 “Tomorrow?”

 Noctis hums and steps into the tub willingly. “Just like my birthday.”

 Gladio laughs, rolling up his sleeves and grabbing the shampoo. “Well, your birthday ain’t for another year yet, Noct. Don’t rush it.”

 “Don’t. Rush it,” Noctis repeats again, biting and tugging on his bottom lip. “Gladdy, when do we see daddy again?”

 “Tomorrow, Noct, tomorrow. Your dad’s birthday is gonna be a special occasion, so we need to make sure to get you into bed pretty fast, alright?”

 “Ok, Gladdy,” Noctis says, splashing in the bath water. And it reminds him of Iris when she was that age… When she used to be that age. Gods, what a bittersweet thought.

 

 ---

 

 “Alright, big boy, time for your medicine.”

 When Gladio holds the pills up to Noctis’s mouth, Noctis pushes his hand away, making a face of disgust.

 “No, Gladdy. I don’t want ‘em.”

 Gladio drags the box of mini donut holes closer, just in case he needs to stick a pill inside of one of them to convince Noctis to take it if he’s not willing enough on his own. “C’mon, Noct, you need these little guys. They’ll help you feel better.”

 Noctis pouts and shrinks down. “I feel okay, Gladdy. I don’t want ‘em!”

 “Fine…” Gladio growls half-heartedly, shoving a pill into a donut hole. “You like donuts, don’tcha?”

 Noctis nods and gingerly takes the donut, but Gladio holds his wrist and hands him a glass of water.

 “You also gotta promise to drink this glass of water, too, okay? It’s good for ya.”

 Suddenly, Noctis screams as Gladio leans in too close. He drops the glass of water and it shatters as he runs out of the bathroom.

 “Noct!!” Gladio yells after him, grabbing two new pills from the canisters. “Noctis, come back! You promised, remember?”

 Six, this is exhausting. This happens not too regularly, but regularly enough to make Gladio seriously consider resigning as Noctis’s caretaker. It’s almost midnight, and Gladio hasn’t had anything to eat since breakfast. Weary and hungry, Gladio is beginning to lose his patience -- something he almost never does with Noctis.

 He has on a few occasions, but tonight is not going to be one of those nights. The scarred bruise on Noctis’s shoulder is enough to cause him to reorganize his emotions. That one was his fault.

 Out of breath and ready to call it quits and just leave, he finds Noctis cowering in a corner of the living room, hugging his stuffed cat close. Gladio approaches cautiously.

 “Noct, come on, you promised to take them, remember? Don’t you trust me? Haven’t you always trusted me?”

 Noctis whines quietly. “But, Gladdy, I have to go to sleep. I have to go to bed.”

 Gladio extends his hand with pills. “Not until you take these.”

 Noctis doesn’t budge.

 “Tell ya what: if you be a good boy and take your medicine, I’ll let you have two cookies before bed. How does that sound?”

 Truth be told, he’s expecting another outburst. And if that one was bad, the next would be even worse. The doctors ensured that’s what these pills would help to prevent, to help keep him calm and relaxed. Gladio despises the idea of drugging Noctis just so he’ll act ‘normally’.

 It’s wrong, and it’s so cruel. And King Regis barely knows anything about it. His own father has no idea what goes on in his son’s day-to-day life.

 Noctis pads closer, loosening the hold he has on his stuffed animal as Gladio smiles at him, the warmth in those eyes he’s known all his life promising he won’t ever hurt him. “Gladdy?”

 “C’mon, Noct. You’ve gotta take them,” he says, softer than before. “Will you do it for me?” Gods, it hurts him to ask for that.

 Noctis stands before him, feet turned inwards as he stares at the tiny capsules sitting in Gladio’s palm. “And… and then cookies?”

 Gladio takes his hand and drops him the pills. “And then cookies.”

 Noctis smiles sheepishly and swallows the pills. Gladio pats him on the shoulder and walks back into the kitchen to grab him some water. The prince follows him in and goes straight to hug him.

 “I love you, Gladdy.”


End file.
